CD should settle bus suit, stop spinning its wheels: District was wrong to outsource drivers

The Central Dauphin School Board must put the school bus issue to rest.

Every court appearance and labor relations board session has ended in a clear victory for the bus drivers.

Even the district is starting to admit its folly.

After the Commonwealth Court ruling, the district called it quits and decided not to appeal again to the state Supreme Court.

The vote was wrong last summer and the wrongs have only compounded over the past 12 months.

With a new school year only weeks away, it’s time for the board to admit its error, settle up and move on.

There is a prime opportunity to bring this to a conclusion in the upcoming mediation sessions, the first of which is scheduled for Monday.

Both sides agreed to a monthlong legal cease-fire in the hopes of reaching an agreement.

As board President Ford Thompson recently told The Patriot-News Editorial Board, “I believe if we had the opportunity to do it over, we would do it over.”

The do over time is now.

It’s a year later. Many of Central Dauphin’s board members have changed — only two remain who voted for the outsourcing last summer. There is a very different tone under President Thompson, the lone vote against outsourcing last year.

The district also has replaced its general counsel. Last year, it was advised by Rhoads & Sinon. That firm has been replaced with Shaffer & Engle.

All of the pieces are in place for a resolution. This is not worth dragging on another year.

More than half a million dollars has been spent on attorneys and renting back the schools’ buses. It’s been a huge detour for the district.

At the end of the day, what students, parents, bus drivers and administrators really want is a safe and enjoyable ride to school.

Fortunately, all parties are committed to making that happen.

But in August, when school starts again, the bus ride would be a lot smoother if this issue were finally put to rest.